Indian Frigate Vindhyagiri Sunk By Merchantman

This screen grab shows the Indian Navy's anti-sub warfare frigate INS Vindhyagiri listing dangerously at the naval dockyard in Mumbai a day after it collided with a merchant ship in the Mumbai harbour approach. Shortly after these images were shot, the ships hull hit the sea bed. Tragically, the ship was to have been decommissioned soon anyway. The Indian-built Leander-class frigate is currently the oldest indigenously constructed ship in the Indian Navy, commissioned in 1981. A truly sad day.

The navy issued the following statement today: "The collision led to fire and flooding onboard INS Vindhyagiri. INS Vindhyagiri was thereafter safely berthed alongside in the Naval harbour. Ammunition on board was cleared and all efforts were made to contain the fire and flooding onboard. Concurrently, necessary measures have also been taken to prevent any spillage of oil from the ship. Other naval operations and commercial operations in Mumbai port have not been affected. No casualities have been reported."

The last Indian warship to go down in peacetime was the Tarantul-class corvette INS Prahar in 2006.

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